John Atlantic Stephenson

[ALTZA53]

Hi Bryan, Sorry not much more I can add.

However I have just over the last 2 days found Family Trees on Ancestry which mentioned Henry Layton Stephenson b 1832. These are joans_tree (Joan Swallow) & Tony Mooar (Maurer) Ancestors. I am aware of the Mooar family connection as Henry's daughter Elizabeth Gordon Stephenson b 1855 Hartlepool, Durham, UK married a Jacob Mooar in Christchurch NZ 1896. She d 1937 in Lincoln Christchurch NZ but both of these family trees mention as Lincolnshire UK (easy mistake I suppose if you hit the wrong button). Consequently this relationship is closer to your side of the family as was through Henry's 1st marriage to Isabella Park.

Unfortunately both have made the huge leap (and mistake) of showing Henry's father as John b 1789 being the son of Robert Stephenson & Mabel Carr (parents of THE George) and therefore saying he is Georges brother. Joan's tree even does this despite showing John's death as Jan 1831 and recording Henry as b 1832. (Robert Stephenson did have a son John who did die 1831 as a result of an accident at the Stephenson Forth St works. This is why he was never a possibility for me in trying to find the claimed family connection to THE George). Our Henry was born Jul 1832 so no way is that possible let alone account for the other children born subsequently!!!!.
What makes this worse is that some of this misinformation may have come from my wife's side of the family. In Dec I received a copy of a letter from 2000 written by my wife's cousin based on a story as told by her mother and grand mother (Beatrice Monaghan nee Stephenson daughter of Henry and Annie Sheehan). She states may not be 100% as she only heard snippets and her memory may not be exact. She also referred to Stephenson history as set out in a Pears Encyclopedia. She stated Henry Stephenson (her Great Grandfather) was the son of Robert. I think someone has put 1&1 together and come up with 4 as it suited the story. The letter also included other so called facts about Henry and Annie that were also totally incorrect.
A further point supporting Robert not being the father is that neither our John nor his sons called any of their children Robert or Mabel which you would normally expect at that time. 
We know that John Married Elizabeth Gordon Brumwell bef 1829 but both trees show he married a Mary Brumwell. I can forgive this as this name was shown on a 1 or 2 certificates I have seen as being Henry's mother. Mary Gordon was Elizabeth's sister and also brought up in the Brumwell household.

I only mention all of this as it shows the importance of only putting information into family trees that has been verified through other means.

Ian

[Bryan Bates]

Hi Ian.  Thanks for that information. Amongst my package of momentos there is a notice about Henry Stephenson. A copy is attached. I know nothing about its origins. cheers
Bryan.

[ALTZA53]

Hi Bryan,

That looks to be the original draft type for 'The Cyclopedia of New Zealand (Wellington Provincial District) General Government Offices 1897, as I discussed page 10 post 92. Interesting how all the bits are coming together.

Ian

[ALTZA53]

I have just re-read all the posts as it helps refresh where we are and what we have covered. I think we have come a long way since Maggie started the topic and importantly enabled the respective family groups to reconnect, share and expand our collective knowledge.

There appear to be a few loose ends as I note Brian said he was again going to follow up on Elizabeth G Stephenson's burial, David was to visit the Tyne & Wear Records Office and Maggie was to visit the British Library. Would be good to hear if these searches actually transpired and outcomes.

Jon I have not forgotten about the Stephenson/Layton Romaldkirk  possible connection. The more I look at it I think you are on the correct track but just can't find the necessary vital verification to link it in.

On searching Ancestry UK I have found a death for a Alfred S G Stephenson for July-Sept 1915 at Tynemouth born Abt 1843. Vol10b page 279. If anyone is local and able to look up the records to see if our Alfred Septimus Stephenson (The G could be Gordon) that would be great.

Also in relation to William Brumwell's Will & Probate records Valda commented.(see page 19 posts 187 & 188).

I'm presuming the will was proved in the Prerogative Court of York? The National Archives will hold the Death Duty record on the will (nothing online for this period).

'Many claims for death duty arose long after the death of the testator, for example when a life tenant of the estate died. All the registers are regarded as "still in the making" for 50 years from the date of opening. This means that further comments could be added to the registers many years after the first entry and so they can include additional information such as:

dates of death of spouse
dates of death or marriage of beneficiaries
births of posthumous children and grandchildren
change of address
references to law suits
cross-references to other entries'

This line of research could be fruitful so again if anyone is able to search at Archives in person this would be appreciated.


Ian

[fjhs]

hi there im from nz and my husband is a ggg grandson of william layton stephenson. the info we have is he was married to frances stephenson. and had 4 children born in nz they were alfred ernest born 1883 died 7 june 1923 he is buried in sydenham cemetery.
 frances gordon died 1881 at 12 days old.
 florence annie died 1908 at age 23 buried with her parents in linwood.
 William leonard 1880 whom im not sure about his death but he married mary ellen nee tarrant in 1905  William Layton died 15 april 1926 was an engineer and is buried in linwood cemetery. id love more info on the parents of frances and william layton thnx

[Bryan Bates]

Hi fjhs,
I have sent you a private message with my contact details. I am also a descendent living in NZ and can provide you with some further information.
cheers
Bryan

[ALTZA53]

Hi Fjhs,

Welcome. I am also in NZ but I have deferred responding as I knew Bryan was likely to make contact, which he has, being a direct descendant of William Layton Stephenson and he can update you on his family connections here.  Williams parentage and wider family connections are well covered in this forum, so you will find this of interest I am sure.

I can tell you that Frances Newton's parents were William Newton (a Blacksmith) b Abt 1819 and Frances Plettes b Abt 1817. They were married 1838 in Durham.

In 1871 they were living at 28 Commercial St Crook Durham with children Frances age 14 & John Thomas Newton age 19.

In addition they also had a Mary J Newton b Abt 1844 & Sarah A Newton b Abt 1854.

Frances married William 13-5-1877 at St Ann's Church St Andrew Auckland Durham with her brother John being a witness.

In addition to their children you refer to as being born in NZ they also had a son Harry Newton Stephenson b Abt 1878 Newcastle England. He and his parents sailed from England on the 1-11-1878 and arrived NZ 18-1-1879 on the ship Waikato.

Regards

Ian

[Bryan Bates]

Thanks Ian.
This forum has once again helped our family to reconnect.
cheers
Bryan

[kiwifroggy65]

Hi All
I am just updating the wonderful document that Maggie put together for our family. I guess you could say that Maggie is my second cousin, our mothers being cousins.  We live a world apart, Maggie in UK, and myself in Australia, ex New Zealand.  So of course, I appear way down the Catherine Mary Layton line.  My aim is to work on what Maggie put together as a birthday present for my mother, Mignon. Incidentally, Mignon is the holder of the original Journal to India which Maggie transcribed.
Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone had found anything further on Leonard Quintus/Quinties/Quinton.  I seemed to have found some info on the one in the same born in 1838, so am hoping I might have found a bit of a trail?  Any info appreciated.
I was also interested to read that someone mentioned Ekatahuna (not far from my home town).  Well I am not aware of any connection there, but do know that a Stephenson ran the Steam Museum at Tokomaru, just out of Palmerston North.  My mum always wondered if there was some distance connection there?
Regards Cathy